Headed by Masood Azhar, JeM has carried out many terror strikes in India. China is one of the five countries in the UN Security Council with veto powers and this is not the first time it has blocked India's attempts to designate JeM chief Azhar

China continues to support terrorism! India’s bid to designate Pulwama attack mastermind and Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a “global terrorist” has yet again been blocked by China in the United Nations. The bid has yet again faced opposition from China. India has been trying to convince the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members not to object the listing of dreaded terrorist Masood Azhar. India has the support of the US, UK, France, Belgium, Poland in this regard.

China is one of the five countries in the UN Security Council with veto powers and this is not the first time it has blocked India’s attempts to designate JeM chief Azhar. China is an all-weather ally of Pakistan and is now building the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor with huge investments. China’s repeated attempts to block Masood Azhar from being named a global terrorist are seen as an open attempt to please Pakistan.

Headed by Masood Azhar, JeM has carried out many terror strikes in India. The terror outfit is responsible for the Parliament attack, Pathankot air force base attack, attacks on army camps in Jammu and Uri, and the latest attack in Pulwama where 40 CRPF personnel were killed. Ahead of the UNSC decision, the United States said that Masood Azhar meets the criteria listed out to be designated as a global terrorist. In a strong statement, US said that not declaring Masood Azhar would be against regional stability and peace. After the Pulama attack, France, US and Britain moved the resolution to list Azhar as a global terrorist.

Even after Jaish terrorists attacked the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot on January 2, 2016, New Delhi pushed for getting Azhar designated in February 2016 by the UNSC 1267 committee. However, Beijing remained adamant as it put a technical hold in March as well as in October 2016 at Pakistan’s behest. In December 2016, China then exercised its veto power to block India’s attempt. In January 2017, the US, the UK and France put forward a proposal to designate Azhar as a global terrorist but the proposal was blocked by China.

Azhar, if and when he is designated as global terrorist by the UN, would face a ban on travelling and won’t be able to access funding.